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Ancient DNA reveals make-up of Roman Empire’s favourite sauce Wed, 02 Jul 2025 01:01:00 +0100 Bones found at the site of an ancient fish-processing plant were used to genetically identify the species that went into a fish sauce, often known as garum, eaten throughout the Roman Empire

Breaking the laws of thermal radiation could make better solar cells Tue, 01 Jul 2025 22:00:14 +0100 It is possible to make a material absorb more radiation than it has to re-emit, violating the laws of physics in a way that could make energy-harvesting devices more efficient

A crucial methane-tracking satellite has died in orbit Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:30:27 +0100 Operators lost contact with the MethaneSAT satellite on 20 June, a significant blow to efforts to track – and stop – methane emissions

Where does time actually come from? Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:00:47 +0100 The arrow of time can teach us more about how the universe began – and how it will end, says quantum columnist Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Solving the 250-year-old puzzle of how static electricity works Tue, 01 Jul 2025 17:00:35 +0100 You may think you know static electricity, but its true nature has long eluded scientists. We’ve now made a huge leap towards finally figuring it out

A Neanderthal-shaped skull may explain why some people get headaches Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:00:28 +0100 People with Chiari malformations have a skull shape similar to Neanderthals, suggesting that the condition may be caused by DNA inherited from archaic humans

Shrinking Antarctic sea ice is warming the ocean faster than expected Tue, 01 Jul 2025 14:30:42 +0100 Antarctic sea ice extent has fallen dramatically in recent years – the effects include accelerated ocean warming, faster loss of inland ice sheets and severe impacts on wildlife

Protocells self-assembling on micrometeorites hint at origins of life Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:20:36 +0100 Micrometeorites are thought to shower down on planets throughout the universe, so the discovery that they help protocells form could tell us something about the chances of life elsewhere

The best new science fiction books of July 2025 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:00:03 +0100 From Austin Taylor to Nadia Afifi, there is lots to look forward to in the sci-fi out this month - including a novel which might be our culture editor Alison Flood's pick of the year so far

Polycystic ovary syndrome may be passed on via chemical tags on DNA Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:01:11 +0100 Eggs and embryos from people with polycystic ovary syndrome have altered patterns of so-called epigenetic tags, which could explain how the condition is inherited

Typos and slang spur AI to discourage seeking medical care Mon, 30 Jun 2025 22:00:40 +0100 AI models change their medical recommendations when people ask them questions that include colourful language, typos, odd formatting and even gender-neutral pronouns

Orcas are bringing humans gifts – what does it mean? Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:00:38 +0100 Researchers have documented orcas seemingly gifting rays, seals and fish to scientists and divers, which could suggest they have theory of mind and engage in altruism – even across species

Single antiviral shot could offer better protection than flu vaccines Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:00:44 +0100 A long-lasting formulation of an antiviral drug greatly reduced people’s risk of a symptomatic flu infection in a trial, and should even be effective against new strains

The remarkable tale of how humans nearly didn’t conquer the world Mon, 30 Jun 2025 17:00:31 +0100 Over tens of thousands of years, waves of Homo sapiens set out across Europe and Asia, only for their societies and cultures to mysteriously vanish. At last, ancient DNA is revealing why

Mathematicians create a tetrahedron that always lands on the same side Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:47:31 +0100 With the help of powerful computers, researchers discovered a four-sided shape that naturally rests on one side, and built a real-life version from carbon fibre and tungsten

Altered gut microbiome linked to fertility issues in people with PCOS Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:01:45 +0100 People with PCOS who struggle to conceive tend to have lower levels of a gut microbe that has been linked to endometrial function

The deep lessons quasiparticles teach us about the nature of reality Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:51 +0100 We have discovered legions of strange particles that seem to only have a ghostly existence inside materials. Even so, they are the basis of much modern technology - so are they actually real?

How quantum superposition forces us to confront what is truly real Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:58 +0100 What are quantum particles doing before we measure them? Getting to grips with this century-old debate takes us to the heart of whether there is an objective reality

How symbiosis made Earth what it is – and why it’s key to our future Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:37 +0100 Two life forms living together helped spark the evolution of all complex life. By learning to appreciate this process more fully, we might be able to harness it to heal our planet too

The maths hack that can help you count things Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 It is tricky to count things that are moving around – but this handy maths technique can help, says Katie Steckles, whether it is animals or vanishing spoons that you're trying to keep track of

How the science of friendships can help make yours better Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:32 +0100 From acquaintances to besties, our relationships fall on a wide continuum. Research into the ingredients for meaningful and lasting connections can help you strengthen them

Why you should assume that even the simplest animals are conscious Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:15 +0100 There is mounting evidence that even surprisingly simple animals, like invertebrates, have a level of consciousness - but not in the way you might think

What is a mindset and can you cultivate a better one? Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:12 +0100 Concepts like the “growth mindset” are much misunderstood. But learn to cultivate certain beliefs about your future potential, and evidence suggests it really can foster success and bring health benefits

This daringly experimental thriller is a puzzle-lover's delight Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Packed with puzzles and narrative threads, Matt Wixey's novel Basilisk is an exhilarating read that is hard to put down

At last, we are discovering what quantum computers will be useful for Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:10 +0100 Quantum computers have been hyped as machines that can solve almost any problem. Yet it is becoming clearer that their near-term utility will be narrower

X-ray boosting fabric could make mammograms less painful Fri, 27 Jun 2025 20:00:00 +0100 A flexible fabric called X-Wear could replace some parts of medical scanners, which would make taking X-rays and CT scans far more comfortable and convenient

Why are the physical constants of the universe so perfect for life? Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:22 +0100 Conditions in our little pocket of the universe seem to be just right for life - and the much-debated anthropic principle forces us to wonder why

How metaphysics probes hidden assumptions to make sense of reality Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:20 +0100 All of us hold metaphysical beliefs, whether we realise it or not. Learning to question them is spurring progress on some of the hardest questions in physics

The bold plan to save a vital ocean current with giant parachutes Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:30:11 +0100 Large sea anchors could be used to drag water under a bold plan to keep the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation moving – but some experts are sceptical

These rocks are probably the last remains of Earth's early crust Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:00:05 +0100 Geologists have long debated whether a stony formation in Canada contains the world’s oldest rocks – new measurements make a compelling case that it does

Our verdict on The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: A thumbs up Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:52:36 +0100 Culture editor Alison Flood rounds up the New Scientist Book Club's take on our latest read, a time-travelling romance

Read an extract from Adam Roberts’s far future-set Lake of Darkness Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:45:31 +0100 In this passage from near the opening of Lake of Darkness, the latest read for the New Scientist Book Club, we are given an insight into how deep-space travel works in Adam Roberts’s universe

Why Adam Roberts set out to write a sci-fi utopia, not a dystopia Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:45:21 +0100 The author of Lake of Darkness, the latest read for the New Scientist Book Club, on why, in a world awash with fictional dystopias, he set out to write the opposite

Dramatic Edward Burtynsky image shows stark desert divide Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 This shot by the acclaimed photographer, taken from a helicopter, is part of a new exhibition of his work at New York City's International Center of Photography

A new book reveals the deep flaws in our natural history museums Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Natural history museums teach us about our world, but they aren’t telling us the whole story, writes curator Jack Ashby in Nature's Memory

Mystery fireball spotted plummeting to Earth over the US Thu, 26 Jun 2025 23:09:37 +0100 There have been hundreds of reports of sightings of a “fireball” in the skies over the southern US – it may have been a meteor breaking up as it falls through Earth’s atmosphere

Ash trees are rapidly evolving some resistance to ash dieback disease Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:00:47 +0100 DNA sequencing shows young trees are more likely to have gene variants that confer partial resistance to a fungus that has been wiping out ash trees across Europe

Deep sleep seems to lead to more eureka moments Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:00:23 +0100 After a nap, people who entered the second stage of sleep were more likely to spot a solution to a problem than those who slept lightly or not at all

Nearly a third of Tuvaluans have applied for climate migration visa Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:17:26 +0100 With their country threatened by sea level rise, the people of Tuvalu have been offered an escape route through an agreement with Australia, and many are contemplating leaving their home

Extreme winter weather isn’t down to a wavier jet stream Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:00:33 +0100 The recent erratic behaviour of the polar jet stream isn't out of the ordinary, researchers have found by compiling data from the past 125 years

Forget the Terminators, our robot future may be squishy and fun Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 It is uncanny how human fears about robots mirror those about immigrants. But maybe they aren't out to take our jobs or destroy us all, says Annalee Newitz

What sleep scientists recommend doing to fall asleep more easily Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:00:23 +0100 Helping yourself get to sleep isn’t just about avoiding screens before bedtime. From cognitive shuffling to sleep-restriction therapy, columnist Helen Thomson finds out what actually works

Spiders that get eaten after sex are picky about mates. You don't say Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 A study into a spider species in which the females are prone to eat the males after sex is welcomed into Feedback's new collection of self-evident scientific studies

Why climate change fades into the background – and how to change that Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The public is tuning out the seemingly slow warming of the world, but it doesn't have to be that way, argue Grace Liu and Rachit Dubey

Spellbinding debut book explores the marvels of our brains Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Neurologist Pria Anand recounts curious tales of the workings of the human mind in an elegant debut that is being compared to the late, great Oliver Sacks

Independent estimate of Gaza deaths is higher than official figures Wed, 25 Jun 2025 21:07:57 +0100 A study based on household surveys suggests that from October 2023 to January 2025, around 75,000 people in Gaza died violent deaths, while Gaza's health ministry estimates 46,000 for the same period

Ancient mammoth-tusk boomerang is twice as old as we thought Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:00:31 +0100 A boomerang discovered in a Polish cave was originally dated as 18,000 years old, but it may have been contaminated by preservation materials. A new estimate suggests the mammoth-ivory artefact is 40,000 years old

Gastric bypass surgery may cut the risk of bowel cancer Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:00:09 +0100 Weight-loss surgery seems to lower the risk of colorectal cancer by changing where bile acids enter the small intestine, raising the possibility of developing treatments that mimic these effects

How might society react to babies with two genetic fathers? Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Mice created using genetic material from two sperm cells have gone on to have offspring off their own, but the prospect of one day using the technique in humans has potential to cause controversy

Cancer cells steal mitochondria from nerve cells to fuel their spread Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:00:45 +0100 Cancer cells can acquire energy-generating structures called mitochondria from nearby nerve cells, which seems to aid their spread, a discovery that could lead to new treatments

Heart attacks are no longer the leading cause of death in the US Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:00:40 +0100 Since 1970, heart attack deaths have fallen almost 90 per cent in the US, though deaths from chronic heart conditions have significantly risen

Generation Alpha's coded language makes online bullying hard to detect Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:48:58 +0100 Adults and AI models fail to recognise messages with harmful intent expressed with Gen Alpha slang or memes, raising concerns about youngsters’ online safety

Small and speedy dinosaur recognised as a new species Wed, 25 Jun 2025 01:01:25 +0100 Enigmacursor darted around North America in the Late Jurassic 145-150 million years ago and its skeleton is now on display in London’s Natural History Museum

Enigmatic lizards somehow survived near Chicxulub asteroid impact Wed, 25 Jun 2025 01:01:55 +0100 The night lizards may have been the only terrestrial vertebrates that survived in the region of the asteroid impact 66 million years ago, which led to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs

Women's pelvises are shrinking – how is that changing childbirth? Tue, 24 Jun 2025 22:20:36 +0100 Over the past 150 years, the rise in Caesarean sections and changes in diet could have led to smaller pelvises among women – which may make vaginal birth more difficult but could also reduce common conditions associated with childbirth

Leonardo da Vinci's 'helicopter' design could make drones quieter Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:00:46 +0100 A simulation of the "aerial screw" designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1480 suggests it would use less power than modern drone rotors to generate the same lift, and make less noise too

Earth is more sensitive to greenhouse gases than we thought Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:00:49 +0100 Our climate seems to be more sensitive to greenhouse gas emissions than some researchers had hoped, meaning the world will have to up its decarbonisation efforts

Weird line of galaxies may have been created by a cosmic bullet Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:00:16 +0100 A high-speed crash between two dwarf galaxies might explain a unique feature in space – and provide useful information on dark matter

Ancient people took wallabies to Indonesian islands in canoes Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:00:09 +0100 Humans established a wild population of brown forest wallabies in the Raja Ampat Islands thousands of years ago for their meat and fur in one of the earliest known species translocations

Why geoengineering is no longer a complete taboo for scientists Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:26 +0100 Geoengineering comes in many forms and the risks and potential benefits vary widely. But many researchers now feel it’s time to investigate this controversial idea

Why physicists think geometry is the path to a theory of everything Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:36 +0100 From four-dimensional hexagons to the mind-bending amplituhedron, geometrical shapes are wilder than we learn at school - and they are a crucial tool for understanding reality

Mice with two fathers have their own offspring for the first time Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:00:04 +0100 We're a step closer to two men being able to have genetic children of their own after the creation of fertile mice by putting two sperm cells in an empty egg

Vera Rubin Observatory has already found thousands of new asteroids Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:46:51 +0100 In just 10 hours of observing the night sky, the powerful new telescope detected more than 2000 new asteroids, including a few that will pass near Earth

Orcas scrub each other clean with bits of kelp Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:00:43 +0100 Drone footage has captured killer whales breaking off stalks of kelp and rubbing the pieces on other orcas, a rare case of tool use in marine animals

Stellar flares may hamper search for life in promising star system Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:53 +0100 Astronomers have been trying to detect atmospheres on planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, but bursts of radiation from the star make this challenging

Ancient humans only evolved language once, but why? Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:00:26 +0100 There’s an argument rumbling about why our ancestors evolved language. And surprisingly, one of the possible explanations has nothing to do with communication

Why is it seemingly impossible to stop phone thieves? Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:00:58 +0100 The huge market for stolen smartphones means that thieves will continue to snatch them, but is there anything we can do to put a stop to this crime wave?

Stunning first images show the power of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Mon, 23 Jun 2025 06:00:19 +0100 A powerful new telescope in Chile is set to transform astronomy, and its first pictures of stellar nurseries and galaxies have just been unveiled

Nightmares linked to faster biological ageing and early death Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:01:11 +0100 Scary dreams disrupt our sleep and elevate our levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which may have serious consequences for our health over time

This is the best time of the year to marvel at the Milky Way Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Milky Way viewing is at its best right now, especially if you’re in the southern hemisphere. Here's what to look out for, says Abigail Beall

This stunning post-apocalyptic drama is the one you should be watching Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 There are hundreds of TV apocalypses to choose from, but The Eternaut, a fresh and compelling adaptation of a classic Argentinian comic book series, is the one to pick, says Bethan Ackerley

Sea spiders 'farm' methane-eating bacteria on their bodies Fri, 20 Jun 2025 22:02:03 +0100 Sea spiders living near deep-sea methane seeps appear to cultivate and eat bacteria on their exoskeletons

Dead NASA satellite unexpectedly emits powerful radio pulse Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:00:23 +0100 Astronomers are puzzled by a strong burst of radio waves traced back to a NASA satellite that had been inactive since the 1960s

Could Israel's bombing trigger a nuclear accident in Iran? Fri, 20 Jun 2025 18:21:15 +0100 Attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities have already triggered at least one internal radiation leak, but should we be concerned that Israeli bombing could cause a larger nuclear accident?

Your passwords have probably been stolen and sold on the dark web Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:00:12 +0100 Technology reporter Matthew Sparkes thought his passwords and personal data were safe, but a tour of the murkier sides of the internet revealed otherwise

To understand sunburn, you need to know how UV provokes inflammation Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:38:35 +0100 We’ve known for nearly a century that UV radiation is linked to skin cancer, but modern advice about sunburn can be confusing. To understand what works, you need to know what UV really does to your skin

Fish rescue wins New Scientist Editors Award at Earth Photo 2025 Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:16 +0100 This photo series capturing efforts to save the Chinook salmon of the Klamath river in the western US won the New Scientist Editors Award at the Earth Photo 2025 competition

Killer new book uncovers Agatha Christie's knowledge of toxicology Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Agatha Christie's murder mysteries are made all the more compelling by the author's personal expertise, reveals Kathryn Harkup's new book V is for Venom

Our big brains may have evolved because of placental sex hormones Fri, 20 Jun 2025 01:01:58 +0100 Unlike other primates, humans are exposed to high levels of placental sex hormones in the womb, which may have shaped our evolutionary brain development

Your brain tracks your sleep debt – and now we may know how Thu, 19 Jun 2025 20:00:12 +0100 A newly identified brain circuit in mice may explain why we sleep longer and deeper after being sleep deprived – and lead to new treatments for sleep conditions

CAR T-cell therapy could be made in the body of someone with cancer Thu, 19 Jun 2025 20:00:11 +0100 Treating types of cancer with CAR T-cell therapy is expensive and inconvenient, but a streamlined approach that creates the therapy within the body could make the intervention cheaper and easier

Offsetting global fossil fuel stores by planting trees is impossible Thu, 19 Jun 2025 17:00:20 +0100 Trees would have to be planted on a vast proportion of global land mass to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from burning the world’s fossil fuel reserves

The surprising silver lining to the recent boom in invertebrate pets Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From spiders to scorpions, some 1000 different invertebrate species are traded globally as pets. This is bad for biodiversity – but there is an upside, says Graham Lawton

Could natural hydrogen from underground help the UK get to net zero? Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:00:02 +0100 Rocks in some parts of the UK have the potential to produce natural hydrogen, but it remains unclear whether the gas is present in economically viable quantities

We finally know what the face of a Denisovan looked like Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0100 A skull from China has been identified as Denisovan using molecular evidence – so ancient humans once known solely from their DNA finally have a face

Cold sore virus immediately reshapes our genome to boost its growth Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:00:32 +0100 The herpes virus that commonly causes cold sores affects how tightly coiled our DNA is and makes it shrink, all to help itself grow

What are we losing by burying ourselves in immersive experiences? Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The "immersive entertainment" boom takes user-centred experiences to new heights, but isn't it making culture a little insular, asks Arwa Haider

A new book argues that revenge is an addiction – but doesn't convince Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Recovering "revenge addict" James Kimmel Jr. makes the case for retaliation to be understood as an addiction in new book The Science of Revenge. It's compelling, but doesn't quite add up

Rapamycin seems to boost longevity as effectively as eating less Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:01:04 +0100 Restricting calories has been linked to living longer in many studies, and now it seems that the drug rapamycin has nearly the same effect, at least in animals

Danny Boyle's long-awaited zombie sequel 28 Years Later is a triumph Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:00:37 +0100 The infected are back, over two decades since they first appeared in 2002's 28 Days Later — and this film is the best of the three, says film columnist Simon Ings

The best non-drug therapies to relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis Wed, 18 Jun 2025 20:00:21 +0100 Knee osteoarthritis is often treated via non-drug therapies, and now we have an idea of which ones work best

Forget superintelligence – we need to tackle 'stupid' AI first Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Tech CEOs and politicians alike are preparing for the day that superintelligent AI takes over, whilst failing to deal with the issues in front of them – from copyright to autonomous killing machines

Australian moths use the stars as a compass on 1000-km migrations Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0100 Bogong moths are the first invertebrates known to navigate using the night sky during annual migrations to highland caves

Why Lyme disease and other tick-borne conditions are on the rise Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:49 +0100 Ticks are spreading globally and bringing familiar conditions such as Lyme disease with them, as well as totally new ones. Now research is revealing how to prevent and treat the diseases they carry

Morse code messages can be trapped in bubbles within blocks of ice Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:47 +0100 Assigning certain sizes, shapes and positions of bubbles to characters within Morse and binary codes means messages could be stored in ice

World's farmers won't be able to keep up with climate change Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:00:01 +0100 Even if agricultural practices adapt in response to higher temperatures, five of the world's six main staple crops will suffer severe losses due to climate change

Asteroid on collision course with moon could fire shrapnel at Earth Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:38:32 +0100 Earth is no longer at risk of a direct collision with the asteroid 2024 YR4, but an impact on the moon in 2032 could send debris hurtling towards our planet that could take out orbiting satellites

Why you should join a watch party for the first Vera C. Rubin images Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:50 +0100 The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is releasing its first images on 23 June, showing us galaxies as we’ve never seen them before. Here’s how you can join a party to see those shots in full definition

UK should expect summers above 40°C in next decade, warns Met Office Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:01:49 +0100 Meteorologists say that in the next decade, summer daytime temperatures above 28°C could persist for more than a month, with spikes as high as 46.6°C possible under today’s climate conditions

Ancient monstersaur had 'goblin-like' teeth and sheddable tail Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:01:35 +0100 The discovery of a prehistoric tail-shedding reptile reveals more about large lizard life and lineage during the Late Cretaceous Epoch